Effect of processing on Fusarium mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by a wide variety of fungal species that contaminate food or feed. Fumonisins (FUM), deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) are examples of common mycotoxins in grains that have been shown to affect human and/or animal health. Physical, chemical and biological methods have been used for decontaminating grains containing these toxins. Some treatments reduce the concentration of mycotoxins while others are ineffective. For example, removal of damaged grain by density segregation can reduce DON and ZEN concentrations in corn and wheat. In contrast, thermal processing is usually ineffective for reducing the FUM and ZEN content of foods. More work is needed to identify effective methods for detoxifying mycotoxin contaminated food.